American comedy has certainly been enriched by the comic brilliance of Leslie Nielsen. A veteran of over one hundred motion pictures and more than fifteen hundred television appearances, Nielsen has built a sturdy reputation portraying manly authority figures in the sci-fi classic FORBIDDEN PLANET and the Captain of the ill-fated cruise ship in THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE before he turned his image inside out with hysterically funny deadpan performances in AIRPLANE, THE NAKED GUN, NAKED GUN 2 ½, and NAKEDGUN 33 1/3: THE FINAL INSULT.

Born in Regina, Saskatchewan, Nielsen made his entry into show business while working at a Calgary radio station. His television career began in 1950 with a STUDIO ONE appearance, and he went on to act in 46 live programs that year in the very heart of what has become known as TV's Golden Age. On stage, he has starred opposite Carol Burnett in LOVE LETTERS and periodically toured with DARROW.

Nielsen has favored TV comedy over drama, starring in the series POLICE SQUAD, for which he was nominated for an Emmy as Outstanding Lead in a Comedy Series. It is with great pleasure that we present this year's Lifetime Achievement Award to Leslie Nielsen on Saturday, November 6th. The festival will screen both AIRPLANE and THE NAKED GUN. Audiences will have their choice of film.